Fish wait to be prepared for feeding time at the National Seal Sanctuary in Gweek near Helston. The Cornwall-based charity, which was founded in 1958 as a sanctuary for injured seal pups, is gearing up for the seal pup season when it is often called upon to rescue seal pups that have got into trouble anywhere around the coast. The centre employs a animal care team, who are on call 24hrs a day, to rescue seal pups, who, after being brought to the sanctuary receive expert veterinary care in a purpose built hospital before being transferred to outdoor pools where they gain weight and stamina before being released into the wild. The sanctuary aims to rehabilitate all rescued pups and since 1981 only two seals have been diagnosed as never being able to survive in the wild and they have now joined the full time residents at the sanctuary.
